Rites of Romance
by DearLemonLima
Summary: For Tyzula Week. Azula, Ty Lee and Fire Nation traditions of love.
1. Golden Earrings

**_Rites of Romance_**

* * *

 _I: GOLDEN_

 _there's a story  
_ _the gypsies know is true  
_ _that when your love wears golden earrings  
_ _she belongs to you  
_ _"_ _Golden Earrings" — Gandalf_

* * *

"Why exactly are golden earrings so important?" asks Suki, studying Ty Lee closely. He takes a breath and tries to think.

"It's just—it's just the _fact_ ," she says, uncertain why she cannot string something decent together. Golden earrings and love are normal, they go unspoken, _everyone_ knows. "They're, y'know, golden earrings!"

Suki looks at the plain earrings that Ty Lee holds in the palm of her hand as if they contained her very soul. It made no sense to the native of Kyoshi Island, who happily has little experience with the Fire Nation's culture.

"I _know_ they're golden earrings. I just don't know why you're so afraid to wear them," says Suki with her arms crossed. She uncrosses them when she sees that Ty Lee looks hurt.

"If you wear golden earrings when you're with the person you love, then it means that you—that they're your true love or something like that. I guess that you belong to them," Ty Lee explains to the best of her ability. "Everyone does it. Even people who can't afford real gold will paint any metal the right color. And I'm just so nervous about how she's going to react."

"Probably…" Suki wants to be honest and say _poorly_ because Azula is hands down the worst person who ever lived, but she cannot hurt Ty Lee. She loves the wrong person but many people make that mistake. "Probably just fine. I'm sure her ego will be flattered."

Ty Lee smiles. She completely agrees; Azula will love that Ty Lee belongs to her. Why would she not? Well, other than old grudges that hopefully have gone away.

It will be perfect, she hopes.

And she turns out to be right, because Azula says that night, "Your earrings are better than usual. You tend to wear such tacky and sad clothes, but I might like those."

Ty Lee blushes and beams. "Thank you, princess."

"You do realize what they mean?" Azula says, leaning forward and flicking one of them with her sharp fingernail. Ty Lee tries not to shiver.

"That's why I wore them." Ty Lee's heart races. "I wore them for you, not somebody else, just to, just to make sure."

Azula smirks. "Not bad."

It might as well be an _I love you_. Ty Lee could not be happier about that reaction.

"You like them? Do you—do you respond to them or…?" Ty Lee does not know any of the right words. She lacks the knowledge and would be tongue-tied even if she knew.

"I accept," says Azula, so calmly. Little does Ty Lee know, Azula is shaking from her nerves. She never was good at relationships of any kind, or any interactions with people not involving manipulation or intimidation.

"I love you so much," says Ty Lee, pecking Azula on the cheek with her lips.

"I know," replies the princess.

Ty Lee closes her eyes and memorizes the moment.


	2. Touch My Fire

_II: TOUCH_

 _i'll never leave you on the wire  
so baby let me touch your fire  
i'm cold, sick and i'm tired  
so let me touch your fire  
_ _"_ _Let Me Touch Your Fire" — ARIZONA_

* * *

The most important part of an official marriage engagement ceremony is far easier for firebenders than nonbenders. Once two people commit to each other and promise marriage, they must go to the Fire Sages. Whoever oversees the ceremony lights a fire in a bowl of coals, and those who wish to be betrothed each set their hands in the flames.

When Azula asks—well, _demands_ —that Ty Lee marry her, they set out for the ceremony in under a day. And, so, at the moment, they stand in front of a Fire Sage as the coals heat up.

Ty Lee turns to Azula. Her sweat does not just come from the hot room.

"Azula, this is going to hurt," Ty Lee whispers, beginning to inch away from the red coals.

"Would you not suffer any pain for me?" Azula asks coolly and Ty Lee purses her lips. _Yes_ , she would hurt for Azula like she regularly does, and so she steps forward again. "Right."

They stand together and listen to the binding words. They sign the official papers since the Fire Nation adores its bureaucracy even under Zuko's reign.

Then, Azula sets her hand there first. She does not flinch or react since it would never hurt the most powerful firebender in the world. Ty Lee grimaces as she touches one finger then pulls back.

"Set your whole hand down. Doing it slowly will make it worse," says Azula, not lifting her own hand as she speaks.

Ty Lee takes a deep breath and smashes her hand down. She manages to contain the yelp of pain building in her throat.

And now, the two women are engaged to be wed.


	3. Legend of a Princess and a Dragon

_III: LEGEND_

 _i will bring you gold apples and grapes made of rubies  
that have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.  
bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes  
on the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.  
_ _"_ _Legend of a Girl Child Linda" — Donovan_

* * *

The appropriate gifts at a formal engagement party were golden apples and grapes made of rubies. People with less funds would create imitations from whatever materials they had available. These two gifts of tradition are based on an old legend of a sleeping princess guarded by a dragon and the firebender who craved to wed her.

The old legend was about a cursed princess and a cursed dragon. The princess was vain and naïve and fell for a spirits' wicked seduction, and was doomed to sleep for eternity. The dragon was selfish and brutal and a spirit disguised as a peasant cursed him to be a monster on the outside.

Now, the dragon did not _kidnap_ this princess. He guarded over her and lived in her dreams.

Then, a man came along and broke the princess's curse with the mythical items that he found on his long and very boring quest that most people ended up leaving out of the legend because they were not the _point_.

When the princess woke, the man boasted he slew the dragon.

And the princess wept because she loved that dragon. Her tears brought the dragon back to life—but in his human form—and they were wed. She ate the golden apples and ate the grapes made of rubies and became like him.

They went to the beach of Ember Island and left no footprints for they were ghosts.

Now, they rule over marriages from the spirit world. They test the love of those who join in a union and it is up to them if your romance will last forever or not. So, to honor them, friends who believe the couple is destined to be bring golden apples and ruby grapes.

"Do we eat them?" asks Ty Lee, poking at the gifts.

"If you want to break your teeth, you can go right ahead," purrs Azula.

Ty Lee lifts one of the ruby grapes to her mouth and Azula knocks it out of her hand.

"You love me, don't you?" whispers Ty Lee. "If you didn't love me you would let me eat that and break my teeth because you'd think it was funny."

"It would be funny, but I like your teeth," says Azula.

Ty Lee grins, showing them off.


	4. What You Already Know

_IV: KNOWLEDGE_

 _i'll tell you what you already know  
if you love me with all of your heart  
if you love me  
i'll make you a star in my universe  
_ _"_ _For You" — Angus and Julia Stone_

* * *

The plethora of candles light up the room like stars in the indigo sky.

This is one of the best hoops that must be jumped through in order to have a proper royal wedding. Since arranged marriages were the norm for millennia, the two betrothed, two nights before their wedding, must sit in a room lit by candles and talk until sunrise.

It is intended to make the betrothed get to know each other, to know everything about each other. However, Azula and Ty Lee already know each other better than anyone else in the world.

"Do not blather like I expect you will," orders Azula as she sits down in the center of the room. Ty Lee sits across from her, so close that they almost touch. "It would be torture to get through the night with you going on and on about such inane nonsense."

"Please tell me a story, princess," says Ty Lee, resting her hand on Azula's knee. "Please tell me stories until the sun comes up."

"I will," purrs Azula.

They swiftly kiss before they begin.


	5. Climb Ev'ry Mountain

_V: SUMMIT_

 _climb every mountain,  
ford every stream,  
_ _follow every rainbow,  
_ _til you find your dream.  
_ _"Climb Every Mountain" — The Sound of Music_

* * *

The Fire Nation wedding ceremony involves a good deal of climbing.

There are temples built throughout the entire land for this purpose. These shrines rise up over the villages and cities, always on hills or mountains. This is, of course, vital to the _symbolism_ that all important ceremonies carry. And no ceremony is as important as marriage.

Azula does not help Ty Lee climb.

"You are supposed to _fight_ to have me. That is the _point_ ," sharply insists the princess when Ty Lee nearly keels over panting. "I am not helping you and we are not stopping to find a shrine that is on lower ground. Pull yourself together. You were an admirable soldier who sort of a little bit helped with the greatest military victory in Fire Nation history and I _cannot believe_ you are so out of shape."

"That military victory was like over ten years ago, princess," Ty Lee squeaks between deep breaths.

"Shut up and keep walking," Azula demands.

Well, her wish is Ty Lee's command.

It always has been and always will be.


End file.
